y small and sentimental poets, which at once quenched their
little tapers. This was followed by another satire, _The Maeviad_,
against some minor dramatists. His last effort in this line was his
_Epistle to Peter Pindar_ (Dr. Walcot), inspired by personal enmity,
which evoked a reply, _A Cut at a Cobbler_. These writings had
established the reputation of G. as a keen, and even ferocious critic,
and he was appointed in 1797 ed. of the _Anti-Jacobin_, which Canning and
his friends had just started, and of the _Quarterly Review_ (1809-24). He
also brought out ed. of Massinger, Ben Jonson, and Ford. As a critic he
had acuteness; but he was one-sided, prejudiced, and savagely bitter, and
much more influenced in his judgments by the political opinions than by
the literary merits of his victims. In his whole career, however, he
displayed independence and spirit in overcoming the disadvantages of his
early life, as well as gratitude to those who had served him. He held
various appointments which placed him above financial anxiety.

GILDAS (516?-570?).--British historian, was a monk who is believed to
have gone to Brittany about 550, and founded a monastery. He wrote a
history, _De Excidio Britanniae_ (concerning the overthrow of Britain). It
consists of two parts, the first from the Roman invasion until the end of
the 4th century, and the second a continuation to the writer's own time.
It is obscure and wordy, and not of much value.

GILDER, RICHARD WATSON (1844-1909).--Poet, _b._ at Borderstown, New
Jersey, was successively a lawyer, a soldier, and a journalist, in which
last capacity he ed. _Scribner's_ (afterwards the _Century_) _Magazine_.
He holds a high place among American poets as the author of _The New Day_
(1875), _The Celestial Passion_, _The Great Remembrance_, _Five Books of
Song_ (1894), _In Palestine_ (1898), _In the Heights_ (1905), _A Book of
Music_ (collection) (1906), etc.

GILDON, CHARLES (1665-1724).--Critic and dramatist, belonged to a Roman
Catholic family, and was an unsuccessful playwright, a literary hack, and
a critic of little acumen or discrimination. He attacked Pope as "Sawny
Dapper," and was in return embalmed in _The Dunciad_. He also wrote a
Life of Defoe.

GILFILLAN, GEORGE (1813-1878).--Poet and critic, _s._ of a dissenting
minister at Comrie, Perthshire, studied at Glasgow Univ., and was
ordained minister of a church in Dundee. He was a voluminous author.
Among his writings are _G